When I
was beforethe Lords at Lambeth, I was the first
that
was called in, albeit, Master Doctorthe
Vicar of Croydon was come before me, and di­vers others. After the
cause of my
sending for, declared unto me (whereof I somewhat marveled in my mind,
considering that they sent for no more temporal men but me), I desired
the
sight of the oath, which they shewed me under the great Seal. Then
desired I
the sight of the Act of the Succes­sion, which was delivered me in
a printed
roll. After which read secretly by myself, and the oath considered with
the
act, I shewed unto them that my purpose was not to put any fault either
in the
act or any man that made it, or in the oath or any man that sware it,
nor to
condemn the conscience of any other man. But
as for myself in good faith my conscience so moved me in the matter,
that
though I would not deny to swear to the succession, yet unto the oath
that
there was offered me I could not swear without the jeoparding of my
soul to
perpetual damnation. And that if they doubted whether I did refuse the
oath
only for the grudge of my conscience, or for any other fantasy, I was
ready
therein to satisfy them by mine oath. Which if they trusted not, what
should
they be the better to give me any oath? And if they trusted that I
would
therein swear true, then trusted I that of their goodness they would
not move
me to swear the oath that they offered me, perceiving that for to swear
it was
against my conscience.

Unto this my Lord Chancellor said that they all
were sorry to hear me say thus, and see me thus refuse the oath. And
they said
all that on their faith I was the very first that ever refused it;
which would
cause the King's Highness to conceive great suspicion of me and great
indignation toward me. And therewith they shewed me the roll, and let
me see
the names of the lords and the commons which had sworn, and subscribed
their
names already. Which notwithstanding when they saw that I refused to
swear the
same myself, not blaming any other man that had sworn, I was in
conclusion
commanded to go down into the garden, and there­upon I tarried in
the old
burned chamber that looketh into the garden and would not go down
because of
the heat. In that time saw I Master Doctor Latimer come into the
garden, and
there walked he with divers other doctors and chaplains of my Lord of
Canterbury,
and very merry I saw him, for he laughed, and took one or twain about
the neck
so hand­somely, that if they had been women, I would have wenthe
had been waxen wanton? After that came Master Doctor Wilson forth from
the
lords and was with two gentlemen brought by me, and gentlemanly sent
straight
unto the Tower. What time my Lord of Rochester was called in before
them, that
cannot I tell. But at night I heard that he had been be­fore them,
but where he
remained that night, and so forth till he was sent hither, I never
heard. I
heard also that Master Vicar of Croydon, and all the remnant of the
priests of
London that were sent for, were sworn, and that they had such favor at
the
Council's hand, that they were not lingered nor made to dance any long
attendance to their travails and cost, as suitors were sometimes wont
to be,
but were sped apace to their great comfort, so far forth that Master
Vicar of
Croydon, either for gladness or for dryness, or else that it might be
seen (quod
ille notus erat pontifici) went to my Lord's buttery bar, and called
for drink,
and drank (valde familiariter).

When they had played their pageant and were gone
out of the palace, then I was called in again. And then was it declared
unto me
what a num­ber had sworn, even since I went aside, gladly, without
any
sticking. Wherein I laid no blame in no man, but for mine own self
answered as
be­fore. Now as well before as then, they somewhat laid unto me for
obsti­nacy,
that where as before, sith I refused to swear, I would not declare any
special
part of that oath that grudged my conscience, and open the cause
wherefore. For
thereunto I had said to them that I feared lest the King's Highness
would as
they said take displeasure enough toward me for the only refusalof
the oath. And that if I should open and disclose the causes why, I
should
therewith but further exasperate his Highness, which I would in nowise
do, but
rather would I abide all the danger and harm that might come toward me,
than
give his Highness any occasion of fur­ther displeasure, than the
offering of
the oath unto me of pure necessity constrained me. Howbeit when they
divers
times imputed this to me for stubbornness and obstinacy that I would
neither
swear the oath, nor yet declare the causes why, I declined thus far
toward them
that rather than I would be accounted for obstinate, I would upon the
King's
gracious li­cense or rather his such commandment had, as might be
my sufficient
warrant that my declaration should not offend his Highness, nor put me
in the
danger of any of his statutes, I would be content to declare the causes
in
writing; and over that to give an oath in the beginning, that if I
might find
those causes by any man in such wise answered, as I might think mine
own
conscience satisfied, I would after that with all mine heart swear the
principal oath too.

To this I was answered that though the King would
give me license under his letters patent, yet would it not serve
against the
statute. Whereto I said, that yet if I had them, I would stand unto the
trust
of his honor at my peril for the remnant. But yet, it thinketh me, lo, that if
I may not declare the causes without peril, then to leave them
undeclared is no
obstinacy.

My Lord of Canterbury taking hold upon that that I
said, that I condemned not the
conscience of them that sware, said unto me that it appeared well that
I did
not take it for a very sure thing and a certain, that I might not
lawfully
swear it, but rather as a thing uncertain and doubtful. "But then,"
said my Lord, "you know for a certainty and a thing without doubt, that
you be bounden to obey your sovereign lord your King. And therefore are
ye
bounden to leave off the doubt of your unsure conscience in refusing
the oath,
and take the sure way in obeying of your prince, and swear it." Now al
was
it so that in mine own mind methought myself not concluded, yet this
argument
seemed me suddenly so subtle and namely with such authority coming out
of so
noble a prelate's mouth, that I could again answer nothing thereto but
only
that I thought myself! might not well do so, because that in my
conscience this
was one of the cases in which I was bounden that I should not obey my
prince,
sith that whatsoever other folk thought in the matter (whose conscience
and
learn­ing I would not condemn nor take upon me to judge) yet in my
conscience
the truth seemed on the other side. Wherein I had not informed my
con­science
neither suddenly nor slightly, but by long leisure and diligent search
for the
matter. And of truth if that reason may conclude, then have we a ready
way to
avoid all perplexities. For in whatsoever matters the doctors stand in
great
doubt, the King's commandment given upon whither side he list soileth
all the
doubts.

Then said my Lord of Westminster to me, that
howsoever the mat­ter seemed unto mine own mind, I had cause to
fear that mine
own mind was erroneous, when I see the great council of the realm
determine of
my mind the contrary, and that therefore I ought to change my
conscience. To
that I answered, that if there were no mo but myself upon my side and
the whole
Parliament upon the other, I would be sore afraid to lean to mine own
mind only
against so many. But on the other side, if it so be that in some things
for
which I refuse the oath, I have (as I think I have) upon my part as
great a
council and a greater too, I am not then bounden to change my
conscience, and
confirm it to the council of one realm, against the general council of
Christendom. Upon this Master Secretary (as he that tenderly favoreth
me), said and sware a
great oath, that he had lever that his own only son (which is of truth
a goodly
young gentle­man, and shall I trust come to much worship) had lost
his head
than that I should thus have refused the oath. For surely the King's
Highness
would now conceive a great suspicion against me, and think that the
matter of
the nun of Canterbury
was all contrived by my drift. To which I said that the contrary was
true and
well known, and whatsoever should mis­hap me, it lay not in my
power to help it
without peril of my soul. Then did my Lord Chancellor repeat before me
my
refusal unto Master Secre­tary, as to him that was going unto the
King's Grace.
And in the rehears­ing, his Lordship repeated again that I denied
not but was
content to swear to the succession. Whereunto I said, that as for that
point, I
would be content, so that I might see my oath in that point so framed
in such a
manner as might stand with my conscience.

Then said my Lord: "Marry, Master Secretary,
mark that too, that he will not swear that neither, but under some
certain
manner." "Verily not, my Lord," quoth I, "but that I will
see it made in such wise first, as I shall myself see, that I shall
neither be
forsworn nor swear against my con­science. Surely as to swear to
the succession
I see no peril, but I thought and think it reason, that to mine own
oath I look
well myself, and be of counsel also in the fashion, and never intended
to swear
for a piece, and set my hand to the whole oath. Howbeit (as help me
God), as
touching the whole oath, I never withdrew any man from it, nor never
advised
any to re­fuse it, nor never put, nor will, any scruple in any
man's head, but
leave every man to his own conscience. And methinketh in good faith
that so
were it good reason that every man should leave me to mine.”